Last week I was taking a trip to Lander, WY in my 2004 C2 (about 320 miles). I have been reading most of the posts on here for a year now, since I have owned the car. As my mind was wondering cruising at about 85 on I-80 I was thinking I had not experienced hardly any issues with the car that have been mentioned on here. I was thinking when I got back I was going to make a post to such. Then, at about Green River I heard a beep, looked down at the display and it said FAILURE MODE and had a pic of an oil can above it. I thought %$#&!. I turned the car off and coasted to the side of the road. I exited the car and checked the oil level on the dipstick and it was good. I looked under the car for anything obvious, nothing found. I was wondering if there was a Porsche specialist in Green River or Rock Springs…probably not. I got back in the car and turned the key to “On” and it did the self check for oil level and it said it was good. Now I have been in a car that lost an oil pump before, not Porsche. I know the sounds of no oil, usually lifters first. I didn’t hear anything of the sort and the engine was running perfect. So, the question was, should I or shouldn’t I (start it I mean). I did start it with the thought if I didn’t have pressure to shut it off immediately…I had pressure. I let it idle for a bit closely looking and listening to any problems, none found. I carefully finished my trip to Lander thinking of all the possibilities along the way. I was pretty sure it was my oil pressure sending unit. One of the mornings while there I turned the switch to on for the level check and the pressure was reading @ 2 without the engine running. The switch was replaced when I got back home (thanks Kapps) and the pressures are reading what most are stating on here. Before it was always a 5 except for idle when it got well warmed up, and then a 4. Anyway, heart attack averted and I am still in love. Sorry for the long story.

 

I had my pressure sender fail on my on my way to work about 6 months ago
I about crapped myself when the warning came on and the gauge showed no oil pressure

Replaced the sender and haven't had an issues since with the oil pressure warning

 

Prolly just an anomaly, but it would be good to run a diagnostic on it. You have a durametric?

 

I do not have one. Maybe in the future.

 

Been there, done that, about crapped my pants as well. My warning said "oil sender failure" with the oil can. Fairly common from what I hear. Still shocking when warning bell goes off!

 

Ditto, mine has done it twice before. It actually comes back to life after 30 or so seconds. Then it works for 6+ months. I figure one day it will start failing consistently and then I'll send my mechanic on vacation again.

Agree with everyone that the oilcan is a bit scary to see. Maybe they could have added a smiley face

 

These cars seem to truly enjoy sending us into cardiac arrest.

 

Be thankful you have a dipstick.

 

For peace of mind, it is very easy to remove the oil pressure sender and replace it. Before you do fit the cheapo HF pressure test kit.It includes an adapter that fits the M96.
If that post is not accessible, use the matching plugged-off one on Bank 2.
It may not be high quality but it does the job for me.
If the pressure on the mechanical gauge is low -immediately start hunting for the cause-
filter plugged up, oil pump drive sheared ?